Nana is a Survivor

Nana and I were talking this week about my niece Lori's recent surgery.  This brought back memories for Nana from when she had her hysterectomy at the age of 28.  This was shortly after my brother Bill was born in 1951.  Although I knew she had the surgery, I didn't know how seriously ill she was at that time. She told me when she was waking up after the operation, she heard the doctors and nurses talking about what room to take her to after the Recovery Room.  They didn't know she was  awake.  She recalls hearing someone say, "It doesn't matter, she is probably going to die anyway."  I was shocked when she told me.  Although she talked on numerous times about having a hysterectomy, she never told me she could have died. 

She does often talk about a time back in the 1970's when she was making an application for a life insurance policy.  She took the paperwork to Dr. Persing, our family doctor, for his signature to verify her health.  I can picture Dr. Persing peering through his wire-rimmed reading glasses as he scanned the page.  He handed the form back to her and said, "Deanie, I won't sign this.  You're not going to live that long."

Dr. Persing is long gone as I'll bet are others who predicted Nana's early demise. Nana has difficult days with her health at times, but she's very much alive.  I'm glad to still have my mom and that she is a survivor. 

Nana and I celebrating Mother's Day at The Fence

May 2012